Steelers vs. Browns Week 4 bold predictions feature Jaylen Warren, Mason Graham and Harold Fannin Jr. ahead of Thursday Night Football.
The AFC North gets the Thursday night spotlight as the 2-1 Pittsburgh Steelers visit the 2-1 Cleveland Browns in Week 4. Pittsburgh is a 2.5-point favorite, and the 38.5-point total is the lowest on the Week 4 slate. That suggests a defensive fight, but short weeks can magnify individual mismatches. Here are three bold calls that could turn a projected grind into a memorable rivalry game.
Jaylen Warren tops 150 yards and scores twice
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The Steelers found their offensive engine against Cincinnati, and it was not Aaron Rodgers. Jaylen Warren ran 17 times for 127 yards and caught three passes for 31 yards. He played 90% of Pittsburgh’s snaps while Rico Dowdle was inactive with a toe injury. A long run was also erased by a holding penalty.
Warren clears 150 scrimmage yards again and scores twice, once rushing and once receiving. That is a huge ask against Cleveland’s front, which pressured Bryce Young on 51% of his dropbacks in Week 3 while blitzing less than 30% of the time. Pittsburgh can counter with screens and quick throws to Warren before Jared Verse and Mason Graham reach Rodgers.
Dowdle’s injury bears watching; he was listed as a nonparticipant on Monday’s estimated report. If Warren remains the lead back, the Steelers should lean on his versatility rather than ask Rodgers to win with slow-developing passes. Warren’s workload gives him a path to a huge Thursday night, even in a matchup expected to be low-scoring.
Mason Graham sacks Aaron Rodgers three times
Graham has four sacks in three games, including two against Carolina last Sunday. Cleveland’s front generates pressure from multiple positions, but the defensive tackle’s interior rush could be especially disruptive to a quarterback who needs space to step into his throws.
Mason Graham is an absolute stud pic.twitter.com/0BnODv4yZh
— McNeil (@REFLOG18) September 27, 2026
Graham posts a three-sack game and drags Pittsburgh’s offense back toward its early-season struggles. The Steelers went 20 straight offensive drives without a touchdown before breaking loose against Cincinnati. They changed their offensive line for that game, and Rodgers took only two sacks after taking four against New England. One strong performance, however, does not guarantee clean protection against this Browns front.
Cleveland should attack the middle on passing downs, forcing Rodgers to escape sideways rather than step forward. If Graham wins without help from extra rushers, the Browns can keep more defenders in coverage and squeeze Pittsburgh’s passing windows. Three sacks from one defensive tackle would be extraordinary. Graham’s current form makes it a prediction worth making.
Harold Fannin Jr. scores twice again in an upset
Fannin caught seven passes for 51 yards and both of Deshaun Watson’s touchdowns against Carolina, including the fourth-quarter winner. Watson completed only 16 of 30 passes for 144 yards, but he trusted Fannin when the Browns needed to finish drives. In a game with a modest projected total, those red-zone chances could decide everything.
HAROLD FANNIN JR. WITH HIS 2ND TD OF THE GAME!!@CARvsCLE on FOX/FOX One
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— NFL (@NFL) September 27, 2026
I predict Fannin repeats his two-touchdown performance and Cleveland wins 24-20. Short crossers and quick throws should help Watson if Pittsburgh’s pressure forces him to speed up. He also ran for 45 yards against Carolina, giving Steelers defenders another threat to account for when he leaves the pocket.
That score would beat the 38.5-point total as well as the Steelers. Pittsburgh has a path to points through Warren, while Cleveland’s pass rush could hand Watson a short field. It is an aggressive call for a game priced like a defensive slog. If Graham disrupts Rodgers and Fannin converts the Browns’ best opportunities, the home team can deliver the Thursday night surprise.
The AFC North gets the Thursday night spotlight as the 2-1 Pittsburgh Steelers visit the 2-1 Cleveland Browns in Week 4. Pittsburgh is a 2. 5-point favorite, and the 38. 5-point total is the lowest on the Week 4 slate. That suggests a defensive fight, but short weeks can magnify individual mismatches.
